Facebook Answers Questions About "Home" and Privacy

After recently launching Facebook Home, Facebook released a statement answering questions that Facebook and Android users had about the new product:

It won't change users' privacy settings on Facebook.

Its privacy controls work the same as they do on Facebook.

Users don't have to use Home to access Facebook on Android. It's an option that customers can access by downloading it from the Play Store or by buying a phone with Home preinstalled.

It can be used without setting it as a phone's locked screen, and it can be turned off.

It collects information not only from users' likes, comments, and messages, but also from the apps they use through the Home app launcher. Facebook stores identifying information for 90 days to "improve how [the service] works."

For devices that come with Home preinstalled, Facebook does collect system and app notifications that display on Home, but it doesn't collect the content of the notification itself. For example, Facebook can see that users have launched a map application, but it won't see what directions users have searched for, or any other activity within the app itself. Facebook also stores this information in identifiable form for 90 days.

Facebook collects location-based information similar to how the current Facebook app does. As with the app, users can turn off location preferences.

Facebook-enabled apps, which share app information with Facebook, should notify users of any new privacy updates.

Facebook says users can learn more online by reviewing the company's Data Use Policy.